Rewind
by shantella1987
Summary: A disturbance in time sets the Doctor and Rose on an adventure they won't forget, until they have to.
1. Chapter 1

**Whelp, I'm at it again. This is an idea I had for several months and now I've gotten around to getting out of my head. 'New Beginnings' should hopefully be updated soon, but this story has kind of eaten up quite a bit of my attention lately.**

 **Story takes place sometime after 'The Impossible Planet/The Satan Pit'.**

 **As always, I don't own Doctor Who.**

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The jungle was calm. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of trees casting everything in a greenish light. Birdsong and the incessant buzzing of insects filled the air.

Then all was silent.

An unusual wind picked up ruffling the plant life, causing birds and other wildlife to scatter. A few stray leaves were picked up and tossed around.

The sound of metal against metal cut sharply through the air. An eerie wheezing, groaning noise that stopped almost as abruptly as it started as a blue wooden box that would have looked more at home on a street corner in London in the 1950's phased into existence.

The sounds of jungle life resumed as the door to the box opened and Rose Tyler stepped out, her jovial smile fading into a confused and slightly exasperated expression.

"Doctor, I don't think this is Barcelona, either."

"What?" A male voice called out from inside the doors. The Doctor popped his head out the door and frowned. "But I double – no – TRIPLE checked this time!" He retreated back into the surprisingly cavernous depths of his box and circled the TARDIS console trying to figure out why they had once again landed in the wrong place. He really wanted to bring Rose to the planet Barcelona. He'd been promising since before he regenerated and really wanted to get it right for once. He just wanted something more on the relaxing side, especially after some of their recent adventures. They both needed a bit of a break, and Barcelona was supposed to provide it. But it just wasn't happening. The TARDIS seemed to have a mind of Her own lately (well, She was sentient after all) and landing them where they didn't intend to be wasn't helping his sour mood. It was supposed to be perfect! He had actually _planned_ something for once. Well, tried to at any rate. More fair to say he had an idea of what he wanted to do.

He flipped some switches with more force than was strictly necessary and started up a diagnostic on the internal circuitry and found nothing. No fault. He had indeed punched in the correct Space/Time co-ordinates for Barcelona in the year 5006 but they'd somehow landed elsewhere.

"What are you up to, eh?" The Doctor grumbled at the TARDIS. "Why can't you just listen to me for once?" His ship stayed resolutely silent, save for the small electrical shock She gave him when he reached for another control panel to re-set the co-ordinates. He quickly jerked his hand back with an unmanly yelp and placed one slightly singed finger in his mouth. Oh, She was really testing his patience today!

The sound of Rose's laughter reached his ears along with her calling: "C'mon, Doctor you have to see this!" and he sighed. Okay, so they'd missed Barcelona. Again! But something about this place made Rose happy. Maybe that's why the TARDIS brought them here. Rose seemed to have a special connection to his ship, especially since she looked into the heart of Her. He walked towards the doors and grabbed his large brown overcoat he had hung haphazardly over one of the coral struts and shrugged it on before walking outside.

Just as he reached the door, however, he had to grab on to it's edges as he suddenly felt off balance. It wasn't just a shift in his equilibrium. It was far deeper and something that could only happen to him. Something was pulling at his time-sense! He tried to focus inward to pinpoint exactly what it was, but as soon as he felt like he was getting close, the feeling stopped.

He took several deep breaths to center himself. That was just weird. But not completely unheard of. It wasn't uncommon for him to feel such disturbances when he knew when time was in flux, but this one just hit him like a ton of bricks.

He also hadn't slept for nearly three weeks, which could also explain it to a degree. That was pushing it, even for him. Maybe when this trip was over he would get some well needed shut-eye.

"You comin' then?" Rose called again.

"Yeah!" He finally exited the TARDIS and ambled over to her.

This place was beautiful, he noted somewhat absently. The verdant plant life was punctuated by fragrant and colourful flowers. And bugs. Like the large mosquito buzzing in front of his nose that he promptly swatted away. Rose was laughing and pointing at a huge purple blossom twice the size of her head.

"Ever see a flower this big before? It's _gigantic_!"

That seemed to snap him out of his funk.

"Ooh! That's a Juujii flower! Incredibly rare! They're only found on one planet: Qatruccia. We've gone way out!" The Doctor finally cracked a smile as he came up to inspect the flower closer. Throwing his dark-rimmed glasses on, he focused on the petals a moment and pointed to movement deeper inside. "And look at that! A colony of Parrapal ants. Absolutely _fascinating_ creatures! They have a really complicated social structure that rivals that of some civilised planets! And they're just itty-bitty bugs driven by instinct! Isn't that amazing?" Rose just nodded knowing full well he was in full geeky lecture mode and probably wouldn't grant her a word in edgewise. And he did indeed ramble on with hardly any hesitation, or even a breath of air for that matter.

"They also share a symbiotic relationship with the plant. Y'see, the ants live inside it collecting food for themselves from the surrounding area – they're impressive gatherer's and can carry seven-hundred percent their own body weight in one go. Kind of like you do after running around a shopping centre with an unlimited credit stick and _my_ psychic paper… or rather me as you get me to be your… um… carrier… y'know me bein' all… _manly_ and whatever… – and the flower uses some of the food the ants bring it to boost its… its… Rose, you're staring at me." He trailed off his ninety-mile-per-hour rambling as he finally noticed that Rose giving him a funny look.

"Nothin'." Rose smirked at him. "Just you."

"What about me?" Straightening his posture, he removed his glasses and went to adjust his tie, before remembering he wasn't wearing one that day as it was, as he dubbed it 'No Tie Tuesday' (even though it was technically Friday, and frankly he couldn't be fussed with a tie that day anyway). He settled for running his hand roughly through his hair before stuffing his hands into pockets of his pinstriped trousers. Rose regarded him for a few moments longer with a funny glint in her eye.

"It's just… I mean, one moment you're pouting because we landed off course and the next you're beaming away and givin' me an surprise lesson on alien flowers and the little bugs that live inside 'em. And oh by the way: _you_ volunteered to carry my bags as I recall." She pointed and laughed at him and he just rolled his eyes and tugged nervously at his ear.

"Only 'cause you looked like you were going to collapse under all that… that… stuff!" Rose laughed even harder at his indignation.

"Anyways, it's so daft and crazy and why I love…" she dropped her gaze from his momentarily and bit her lip. "Why I love travelling with you." She finished in a rush, her heart hammering uncomfortably in her chest and her cheeks feeling slightly too warm. She looked back up at him and hoped he didn't notice her tripping over her words.

A slow genuine grin spread across his face that didn't stop until they crinkled the corners of his eyes.

"Me too."

Rose had always felt there was this _something_ simmering beneath the surface between them since day one. An easy friendship developed quickly between them. They had their occasional argument, especially when he was all Northern and brooding. Harsh words were thrown about and once he even threatened to leave her behind in 1987! But they always made up as neither one of them seemed capable of staying mad at the other for very long. They were the best of friends. But recently, maybe something more? Perhaps? It couldn't just be her imagination.

Could it?

After a lot of coaxing, and a bit of flustered explanation from on his part, Rose finally learned the full circumstances surrounding his regeneration. He literally kissed the time vortex out of her after she absorbed it! What was she supposed to do with this information? When she had Cassandra running amok in her and used her body to snog him senseless (which didn't count in her mind), she recalled hearing his "yeah, still got it!" remark quite clearly.

Then there was what happened in Rome, the only time he made any kind of move on her since regenerating. They didn't talk about that one. Even if it was a spur of the moment release of pure gratitude because she saved his life when he was truly helpless, Rose hoped it reflected how he truly felt about her.

Plus, she couldn't help but notice how the Doctor just pulled her into hugs for seemingly no reason whatsoever and held her hand when they walked, or more often ran. They did that since they first met. But ever since they found themselves on the impossible planet orbiting a black hole and their encounter with a creature that called itself the Devil, Rose felt there had been a subtle unspoken shift in their relationship. Their hugs lasted just a bit longer than strictly necessary and they held on just a bit tighter. He held her hand slightly different too. It wasn't the palm-to-palm grip she had gotten used to. He slotted his fingers between her own now and his thumb would often caress hers. It was different. Good different, if she wanted to be honest.

He was still gazing at her with that goofy grin on his face. The same one he always had even before he changed. Must be a 'Doctor' thing she reasoned.

"So then, _Rose Tyler_!" (Oh, and there was the way he would pronounce her name that always sent shivers down her spine! Yup, definitely added to her list!) "Fancy a look around?" He waggled his eyebrows at her and predictably offered his hand to her, wiggling his fingers invitingly.

"I think I would, _Doctor_." Rose affected a posh accent and gave him her signature tongue touched smile as she interlaced his fingers with her own, and he started walking with her in a random direction. "Bit humid here though…" she commented, suddenly noticing how her hair had gone slightly frizzy.

"Weeeell, we're in a jungle after all. It's got to be…" Whatever the end of that sentence was is anyone's guess as an ear-piercing scream cut through the air causing them to jump. The Doctor broke out into a run in the direction it came from, dragging Rose behind him. The path through the trees was tricky. If it wasn't for the Doctor's strong grip on her hand she certainly would have tripped and fallen over the thick tree roots and vines scattered all over the ground.

Another scream, this time sounding even more urgent.

The Doctor skidded to a sudden halt as they entered a clearing and reached a river bank. He noted the murky fast moving water and caught Rose roughly around her waist before she tumbled in herself. He pushed her back away from the river as his eyes darted around trying to find a safe way across.

"There!" Rose pointed to a boulder sitting in the water. For a split second he looked at it blankly. How would that help? They couldn't jump to it from this side of the bank and… uh-oh! They may not be able to get there, but someone certainly found a way to get to it from the other side!

A terrified looking child stood atop the boulder staring at the fast moving water.

The Doctor quickly removed his overcoat and tossed it in Rose's general direction and bolted up the riverbank towards the trapped child. The water didn't look that deep to him and he began wading in, knee deep at first but then as he got closer to the boulder the water nearly came to his hips – easily deep enough to sweep this small child away. The child reached out to him, desperately grabbing hold of his wrist. The Doctor shook his head. He would need his hands to climb out of the water. Wrenching his hand out of her grip, he turned his back toward the child.

"Climb on!" He shouted over the din of crashing water. She seemed to hesitate. "Please! I can help you!" She then secured her arms around his neck and legs around his ribcage with surprising strength.

"Doctor!" Rose called out from the other side of the river. The side opposite from where they came from.

How did she…?

It didn't matter at that point. The Doctor took a small step towards Rose, then another and another, the child secured firmly on his back. Just when he thought he could make it without any difficulty he stepped into a stronger current that swept his feet out from under him. He was able to keep his head above water as he was carried several meters downstream, the child screaming the entire way. Screaming was fine at this point, even if it hurt his ears. It meant she was still there. Still alive. He grabbed onto a hanging vine and tried to climb it. But the current was too strong, and his hands slipped and he fell further into the river. The Doctor involuntarily gasped, but got a lungful of water instead. His foot once again made contact with the riverbed, and he thought he could stand, but his feet were once again swept out from under him. Now, fully submerged, he lost which way was up. He tried to engage his respiratory bypass to stay under long enough to get oriented, but the water he accidentally swallowed made it impossible. There was simply too much water in his lungs to make it work.

His hearts were pounding, and without his bypass he felt like his lungs were going to burst. Any moment now, he felt like he could black out.

Then, he felt pressure on his wrist and his entire body getting pulled against the current. He looked up, and saw a hand clamped around his arm.

Rose!

He reached out blindly and she grabbed his other hand as his head broke through the water. He coughed and sputtered a few moments as he exchanged the water in his lungs for precious oxygen. With Rose's help he climbed out of the water, slightly awkwardly as there was an unusual weight on his shoulders, and the sound of coughing in his ear that wasn't his.

The child!

Somehow, throughout that entire ordeal, she held on tight! Rose carefully extracted her from his back and settled her on the riverbank as the Doctor rested on his hands and knees still trying to get his breathing and heart rate back under control. He turned his head towards Rose and saw her tending to the little girl. Her skin was pale almost violet in colour, but her breathing was deep and steady, so that must've been her normal complexion.

The Doctor pulled himself into a seated position.

"You okay?" He asked, still slightly breathless, nodding towards the little girl, who still looked terrified. She bolted towards the Doctor and buried her face in his chest, grabbing fistfuls of his jacket and shirt and promptly started to cry.

"I guess that's a 'no' then." Rose sighed, "What's your name, sweetie?" The girl peeked up at her rescuers.

"Yarli." She hiccupped. "M' name's Yarli."

"Yarli, that's a _lovely_ name." The Doctor replied, his voice gentle. "I'm the Doctor, and this is my good friend Rose. How'd you get to be out on that rock?"

She looked down shyly.

"Was chasing the metal man. My mummy says he's not real. But I saw him! I really did!"

The Doctor shared a worried glance with Rose. Metal man? Could be trouble. Just their kind of trouble, actually. Fantastic!

"You believe me, right?"

"Course we do!" The Doctor said a little too brightly, belying his worried thoughts. But it was enough to make Yarli finally smile. "But it's probably best you keep the chasing of metal men to the professionals, like me and Rose here. Don't want you getting swept away in the river now, do we?"

She shook her head vigorously.

"Where'd you come from?" Rose asked.

She pointed towards the sky.

"You came from up there?" Rose followed Yarli's finger and saw nothing but the canopy of trees above them. "Did you fall?"

"No. I'm from Gaart."

Rose shook her head fondly, but the Doctor's eyes widened in understanding. She wasn't from this world either.

"I meant, where are you living now? Your mummy must be worried about you."

Yarli pointed towards the trees and the Doctor saw smoke rising in the distance signalling some kind of settlement. He stood and the little girl grabbed his hand and started running towards the trees. His water filled trainers squeaked a bit as he began to run with her and Rose trailed along close behind.

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 **More to come soon. Please review and tell me what you think so far. :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I knew I wasn't going to sleep tonight until I posted this. I will try and aim for once a week updates on this after this chapter.**

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Within a few minutes of running they reached a huge clearing. Several large primitive looking buildings were arranged in a circular pattern around a central fire pit. A few people were milling about, including one frantic woman who was clearly pregnant speaking hurriedly to an older man who appeared to be trying to calm her. They both had the same kind of complexion as the little girl, obviously the same species.

"Mummy!" The girl called out, releasing the Doctor's hand and rushing towards the woman.

"Yarli!" She met her halfway and scooped the small child up in her arms. "Oh my stars! My little one! Are you okay? You're all wet!" The woman looked up and noticed Rose and a thoroughly drenched Doctor standing a short distance away and eyed them warily.

"That's the Doctor and Rose! They're my new friends! They saved me from the river!" The child happily chirped.

"The river!" Her mother sounded aghast. "Yarli, what in the…?"

"She was out playing and got trapped on a rock in the middle of the river." The Doctor supplied, omitting the entire 'metal man' detail. The woman still paled even more, "We got her back to shore safe and sound."

"I told you to stay away from there!" The woman scolded her daughter, and Yarli looked close to tears again.

"'M Sorry…" Her mother's furious expression melted instantly and she just held her daughter tighter. She looked up at the Doctor and Rose and mouthed a silent 'thank you' at them. Rose smiled back while he just snapped off a lazy salute.

"You rescued my grand daughter!" The older man walked up to them and pulled them into a tight hug. Any tighter and the Doctor reckoned he was going to pop! Physical strength must be a shared trait of these people. It certainly explained how Yarli held on so tightly before. He kept the hug mercifully short. "I'm Ludin, and that's my daughter, Rayta. You will stay here tonight with us! We shall celebrate in your honor!" He declared. The Doctor winced slightly. Despite evidence to the contrary, he hated to be the center of attention, especially when he was being declared a hero.

"We're very grateful, but…"

"Please?" Yarli looked up at him wide eyes. He glanced at Rose and he saw the very same pleading expression. He caved almost instantly. Of course, he would always cave to her whims. Not that he would ever admit to that…

"Oh, alright!" He sighed. "But I think I should get changed first. I'm soaked to the bone. My ship isn't far; I'll be back shortly."

Rose shot him a fierce look. This wasn't going to be another one of his patented Run-Back-To-The-TARDIS-And-Take-Off-For-Somewhere-Else-Because-I-Can't-Be-Bothered-With-The-Aftermath moment if she could help it.

"You can't." Rayta cut in. "It's nearly the 16th hour, the barriers will be up soon!"

"Barriers?" Rose asked.

"Dangerous things live in the jungle. We need to protect ourselves." Ludin stated solemnly.

"Come to my home, I think I have something you can borrow to wear in the meantime." Rayta added.

The Doctor looked down at his sodden clothes. He could just sonic them dry, but his suit did need a proper cleaning. He reluctantly nodded at the offer for fresh clothing.

Yarli spotted some of her friends sitting by one of the dwellings and tugged on Rayta's skirt and asked if she could go see them. Rayta nodded her permission and the little girl ran and sat with her friends, bubbling over with excitement over her latest adventure.

Rayta's home was small, but clean and cozy. It had a sitting room at the front, a tiny kitchen at the back and off to the side, three areas were divided off as bedrooms. But it was the metal walls that grabbed the Doctor's attention.

"This was a cargo ship." He stated reading what looked like a serial number at the edge of one of the walls.

" _Was_ being the operative word." Ludin chuckled. "We broke it down into dwellings."

"Yarli said you came from Gaart." Rose added and Ludin nodded.

"We arrived five cycles ago. We were a mining expedition at first. This planet has a large cache of ore that we fuel our ships with. But one day, we lost contact with our people, and our ships simply couldn't take off, even with all the fuel at our disposal! We tried to put out a distress call, but… let's just say we've been rather stuck here." Ludin ended sadly. "At least we have our families with us. Long-term trips like ours permit us to take them along. And some are created along the way. Couldn't bear to think of what it would be like to be separated from them permanently."

Rose bit her lip and nodded. She knew how the alternative felt, even if it was only temporary.

"Well…" The Doctor chirped happily. "That may change."

"What do you mean?"

"My ships runs rather… uh… _differently_ than most. And I have plenty of room for everyone here. We could take you all home, if you like." The Doctor offered. Ludin's eyes lit up at the revelation, then he narrowed them slightly.

"But we didn't detect any large ships… how…"

"As he said: 'different'. Shocked me at first, but it's true." Rose laughed. Ludin shrugged.

"We'll see tomorrow morning, but first, we promised you a celebration. It will take a while to prepare, but feel free to rest here a while. I must see to the preparations." He bowed and took his leave out the front door as Rayta appeared with an armful of clothes that she held out to the Doctor.

"Here. These belonged to my husband. He wasn't quite as slim as you but they should still fit. I'll see to it your clothes are clean and returned to you shortly. You can change in there." Rayta indicated one of the bedrooms. Rose watched as he swallowed thickly looking at the offered clothes. She rarely ever saw him in anything but his brown pinstripes, and these clothes were far more colourful. She fully expected him to turn down Rayta's offer, but to her surprise he actually accepted with a small smile! She didn't realise she was staring as he retreated into the bedroom and closed the curtain behind him. "There's some clothes in there for you too, Rose, if you wish to follow him."

Rose blinked at her. She thought Rayta was teasing, but the look on her face told her she was being earnest.

"I'm sorry?" She fought the squeak in her voice and lost. At this moment, the Doctor was surely in a state of undress, and walking in on him now would certainly be awkward for the both of them. He even wore a T-shirt to go swimming in his own pool for goodness sake!

"He is your husband, isn't he?" Rose shook her head.

"No. We're just… friends." Rayta blinked at her hesitation and the almost resigned tone in her voice. "Everyone thinks we're a… couple but…"

"Why not? I can see how you look at him. It's how I looked at my husband."

"Where is he? I'd like to meet him." Rose tried to deflect the conversation off of her, but as Rayta's smile faded to a look of pure heartbreak, her hand unconsciously resting on her swollen stomach, she mentally kicked herself. "Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't mean…"

"It's alright. He was out in the jungle one day and never came back. No one knows what happened. He wasn't the first either."

"That's why you were so scared of Yarli wandering off." Rayta nodded.

"She's a lot like her father. He loved going exploring." She smiled wistfully.

"Me too. That's how we actually came to be here. The Doctor and I do our fair share of exploring. It's kinda what we do. We didn't even intend to come here today. It just sorta happened."

"Well I'm glad it did. You saved my little girl and I'll be forever grateful to you. Now, please, take one of my dresses for tonight's celebration. I was about your size before I was with child. Keep it as a small gift to you." Rose opened her mouth to protest, but Rayta took her by the hand and added in a hushed tone, "Besides, it may make the Doctor reconsider having you as just his friend. He also looks at you like my husband used to look at me. I may have just met you, but I know he adores you."

"How do you know?" Rose matched her hushed tone.

"From what I've seen, plus I can feel the emotions radiating off the both of you."

"You're… empathic?" Rayta smiled.

"You can say that yes. At least the women of my world are. Men are well…"

"Men?" Rose deadpanned before she and Rayta dissolved into giggles. "Trust me, doesn't matter the species, men are _all_ the same."

"Tell me about it. But when you find a good man, you want to hold onto him for as long as you can. And I know you have. Trust me, it's worth it to give your love to the one who matters to you the most, even if it can't last forever."

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The Doctor stood behind the curtain long after he already got changed and Rayta left to look after her little girl. He didn't want to admit to eavesdropping, but thanks to his sensitive hearing he heard every word of the conversation happening just a short distance away from him, especially the last thing Rayta said.

He cherished Rose more than any other being he had ever met in his lifetime. But love? A Time Lord wasn't to permit themselves to such feelings. His own marriage was for purely political reasons, but he had formed an attachment to his wife, one that could possibly be described as love. He always was a rebel after all. But times were different then and he tramped down those errant feelings as best he could. Still, when he lost his entire family in the war it ripped a hole right through his hearts.

He swore then he would never allow himself to feel like that again.

Then he met Rose and she showed him a whole other side of living. Emotions he thought were long dead came rising to the fore. He tired to distance himself from those feelings and was marginally successful. When he sent her home from the Game Station, he did it out of love. She was too precious to him to just die, and he was willing to sacrifice his life for hers. And he did, in a way. She came right back and saved him! But not as Rose Tyler, but rather the Bad Wolf. And that power was killing her. Centuries of restraint flew right out the window.

Oh, he had kissed a human before in his eighth life, but that was more out of curiosity instead of any actual emotion. This time, was because he fell head over heels for her. This one tiny little insignificant ape was willing to absorb the time vortex and use it to destroy his oldest enemies just to keep him safe! And he absolutely loved her for it. Hence the reason why he gave in and kissed the vortex out of her instead of any other means he had at his disposal.

Then he regenerated into a body that was based on her tastes. The youth, the manic personality, the pretty boy looks, he was the whole package! He still did his best to distance himself from his feelings for her, including inviting her ex-boyfriend along and encouraging the advances of a French Courtesan, but it didn't work anymore.

He totally and unreservedly loved Rose Tyler. And it hurt. She would ultimately be a tiny blip along his incredibly long lifespan, and he wasn't sure if he could live without her anymore.

But as the wise poet Alfred Lord Tennyson once wrote "Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." Humans! Why did they have to be so right all the time? It was annoying. And now other species were coming up with the same sentiment!

Everyday he spent with Rose crumbled his resolve just a little more. And after all that happened on Krop-Tor and his realisation that he believed in her over all the Gods in the universe, he thought it was finally time to let her know how he really felt.

But how?

Their trip to Barcelona was supposed to be a quiet trip between two friends, but when they finally got out of here, maybe he could try and make it a proper date.

For now, he was just going to pretend that hadn't heard anything and continue on as normal. He reached for the curtain to draw it back, but another wave of dizziness overtook him and he clutched at his head. It felt as if someone was stabbing his temples with icepicks!

He must've made some sort of noise as the curtain was pulled to the side and someone was suddenly in front of him grabbing his shoulders and easing him into a nearby chair.

Just like before, the feeling went away just as soon as it came. He opened his eyes, that he didn't even realise had been closed, and Rose's concerned face swam into focus. He felt her thumbs drift across his cheeks, and his eyes fell shut again, but not because of any pain. Quite the opposite actually. He snapped them back open.

"You alright?" She asked. And he nodded.

"Yeah, just, uh… stood up too fast." He lied. He didn't want to worry her. It still could just be nothing as far as he knew. Or it could be something sinister, but he wanted to weed out all the benign causes first. "Happens to the best of us."

Rose smiled and dropped her hands from his face as she stood up fully, offering him her hand to help him up. He took it graciously and lifted her into a hug as soon as he was on his feet again, making hers dangle a few inches off the ground. He swung her from side to side for a moment before putting her back down, but he didn't release her as he would have done before. In fact, he held her even closer.

"Rose Tyler." He whispered in her ear. "You saved my life today."

"Wasn't willing to let you change on me again." Rose laughed into his shoulder, and she could feel him shake with laughter himself.

"You _like_ this me." He did a spot on impression of how Cassandra once spoke through him and Rose shoved him back playfully.

"Do I?" She tilted her head to the side and looked him over appraisingly and took in his new outfit. A very colourful loose fitting shirt with a deep-v in the front that showed off a good portion of his chest with dark trousers matched incongruently with his usual white Converses. "Lovin' the new outfit. Very…"

"Foxy?" He supplied with a lopsided grin. She laughed in earnest.

"No." His grin faded into a pout. "Still very _you_ though." He looked down at his shirt.

"Yeah. Kinda reminds me of a jacket I once had. Just needs a cat pin." Rose shot him a funny look as he dropped back into a more serious mood. "Still… thank you."

In a move that could either be very bold or very foolish (or both), the Doctor leaned in and kissed her lightly on the cheek before walking towards the front door.

"By the way, I saw a really nice dress in there I'd think you'd like. I put it over the chair in there. Rayta did say you could have one as a gift." He added casually, forgetting that he shouldn't have been eavesdropping.

He didn't see just how far Rose's jaw dropped in shock.

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 **Naughty Doctor. Eavesdropping is a bad habit. Are his dizzy spells lack of sleep or something more? Well, you're just gonna have to wait and see. XD**


	3. Chapter 3

**Getting this out a day earlier than I expected. I've been sick the last couple of days (nothing serious, don't worry) so I had some extra time to work on it.**

 **Anyways, enjoy!**

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Rose couldn't help but smile as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. The dress wasn't overly extravagant. It was quite simple compared to some of the gorgeous gowns she had seen in her travels. But she loved the softness of the dark purple fabric that shimmered with hints of blue in the light, and how it hugged her in all the right places while still being quite modest.

She was touched by Rayta's generosity for sure, but she was simultaneously flattered and confused that the Doctor picked it out for her. He seemed to be rather indifferent to what she wore and she had all but given up asking his opinion on such matters lest he told her that she looked "beautiful considering that she was human" or "be better off in a bin bag". Although she did catch his giant grin that he tried desperately to hide when she strolled into the console room wearing that pink poodle skirt. He had even styled his hair into a pompadour that day to complement her look!

And now he was picking out her clothes to match him?

For someone who _insisted_ they weren't together, he was acting kind of strange. She still couldn't shake off the tingle she felt on her cheek from where he had kissed her.

Just how much of that conversation she was having with Rayta did he hear? Or was kissing just his way of saying 'thanks for saving my life'? She wanted to get to the bottom of this, but she also wanted to enjoy tonight's celebration. If she brought it up now, there was a chance the Doctor would completely shut down and be a right misery the entire night. He tended to get like that when things got too personal. So she just decided to leave it for now and just have fun that night. She smoothed out her skirt and headed outside herself.

The sky had darkened considerably since they had landed and the fire in the central pit was being built up higher and several lanterns were being lit around the perimeter. Rose started walking and looking around for the Doctor, only to be stopped by several of the residents who wanted to thank her personally for her part in saving Yarli earlier that day. She smiled politely, happy that she was able to help, but not wanting to bring too much attention to herself.

She finally found the Doctor conversing with another resident, a young man who Rose thought was quite cute, who was having troubles lighting one of the lanterns. The Doctor produced the sonic screwdriver out of his pocket and lit the small flame with ease.

"Where can I get one of those?" He gaped at the tool in awe.

"Sorry, Viin, this sonic screwdriver's one of a kind!" The Doctor smiled at the sonic, flipping it up in the air and catching it effortlessly.

"Trade you for it!" Viin offered happily.

"Good luck with that, mate." Rose cut in with a laugh. "He's never giving that thing up!" The Doctor grinned at her cheekily as he pocketed the sonic, while Viin just gaped at her.

"Y-you're Rose, yes?" Viin held his hand out to her and she shook it. "You're far more…uh… beautiful than the Doctor described." Rose had to hide a giggle behind her hand as Viin had the goofiest grin on his face. The Doctor's grin faded as he rolled his eyes. If Rose didn't know better, she would think he was jealous or something. His sour expression only lasted a couple seconds before he replaced it with what she knew to be a forced grin.

"Rose's one of a kind as well." The Doctor chirped almost too happily clapping Viin on the shoulder and giving him a pointed look.

"Oh, right, sorry!" He dropped Rose's hand and looked between them sheepishly. "Should've realised. You two are obviously… Anyway! I've… uh… got a few more lanterns to light so… uh… enjoy the celebration!" Viin nearly tripped over his own feet in his haste to get away.

Rose smacked the Doctor's shoulder as hard as she could.

"Why'd you have to be so rude to him? He's nice." She hissed at him as he rubbed at his sore shoulder.

"I wasn't being rude. If anything, I was granting you a compliment. Besides he was only interested in chatting you up and I know how you much you…"

"So what if he was? I can handle myself, Doctor. I've dealt with far _worse_ than 'im. Besides, what does it matter to you?"

The Doctor opened and closed his mouth wordlessly for a moment before he continued in a softer voice: "Rose, I've come to realise that you despise men drooling over you, so I didn't think you'd mind…"

"Aha! See you ' _didn't think_ '." Rose scoffed, and he rubbed at one of his eyes tiredly. "Big ol' superior Time Lord brain, my ar…" Rose's attention was suddenly drawn to something in the trees behind him. Light seemed to be emanating from just inside the treeline, but there were no lanterns out that far. A reflection then?

"What's that?" She pointed over to the light over his shoulder. The light it seemed to be moving.

"What's _what_?" The Doctor replied impatiently turning to see what she was pointing at. Before he could get a reply, she bolted towards the trees. He stood there dumfounded for several seconds. Was he _seriously_ just fooled by the oldest trick in the book?

Then his brain caught up with him.

Rose had just run into the dark jungle that had dangerous things living inside it.

Alone.

He started running.

"ROSE!" He shouted after her, panic evident in his voice.

"Over here!" She called back. He followed her voice and found her walking back towards him. "I lost it! Damn!"

As soon as he reached her he grabbed her by the arm and hauled her over to a tree and held her there.

"I'll say you lost it!" He seethed. "Ludin warned us there were dangerous things out here, and you just go running headlong into the jungle without a care in the world! What the hell has gotten into you?"

"I was tryin' to tell you: I saw something." Rose snapped back. "I think it's what Yarli was chasin' earlier."

"Or it could've been nothing."

"You don't believe Yarli either?" Rose gasped.

"I didn't say that! But if people have been going missing, like Rayta pointed out earlier, I think it's best we…"

"You were eavesdropping…"

"Kinda hard not to when there's nothin' but a curtain between rooms! I could hear everything you two were saying!"

"Everything?" Her voice was all but a whisper. "You picked my dress out…"

It was so dark now that Rose couldn't see the Doctor wince.

Oops.

The Doctor pulled out the sonic again and began to scan the immediate area, if only to distract himself from his blunder. The results of said scan were not encouraging.

"There's nothing out here, but the barrier could also be blocking my scans." He sighed. "Tomorrow we can conduct a more thorough search. I'm also curious to see if this fabled 'metal man' exists."

"Think it's the Cybermen?" He shrugged.

"Could be. But they'd have made their presence known by now. No. They certainly would not have let Yarli live if she saw them. Or it could just be that she has an overactive imagination. But something has grounded these people here, and I'm curious to find out what. But I don't think it's wise to go running all willy-nilly through the jungle in the dark. Oh… 'willy-nilly'?"

"Add that to the ever growing 'remind me to never sat _that_ again list?" He could hear the smile in Rose's voice even though he currently couldn't see her in the dark.

"Definitely." He laughed reaching for her hand. "Now, I think there's a celebration happening. I think they'd be a bit put out if their guests of honour suddenly vanished." Rose interlocked her fingers with his and they both started on their way back to the village.

"Doctor?" Rose asked after a few moments of walking silence.

"Yeah?"

"I'm sorry. This was really dumb of me." They stopped walking and he turned and pulled her into a hug.

"I'd tell you not to do it again, but… well… you're _you_. And that's why I…" He trailed off and squeezed her tighter.

"Why you what?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

Rose's head was spinning. Was he implying what she thought he was implying?

She opened her mouth to ask for a clarification, but before she could articulate any words, she found herself blinded by a bright light.

* * *

 **Please review and tell me what you think so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I meant to have this posted last week, but I got sidelined by another chapter for my other story '** _ **New Begninnings**_ **' (which I encourage you to also check out *nudge nudge*)**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy. FLUFF AHOY!**

 **As always, I still don't own Doctor Who.**

* * *

Rose blinked at the light being shone at her, instinctively bringing her hand up to cover her eyes, while the Doctor shoved her roughly behind him in an attempt to shield her from whatever danger they might be in.

"What're you two doing out here? We've had half the camp lookin' for you!" Rose wasn't sure if she sighed in relief or frustration when she realised it was only Ludin shining a torch at them.

"Sorry." She peeked around the Doctor's shoulder and smiled bashfully.

"I wasn't interrupting something, was I?" Ludin grinned cheekily before he turned and started walking toward the camp. Rose was glad the torch wasn't shining on her anymore as it would have illuminated the blush that was creeping along her face.

Was he interrupting something? The Doctor had been acting peculiar all day – quite a bit more affectionate than usual. And then there was his "isn't it obvious?" comment that still had her reeling. She was almost certain the Doctor was about to clarify that particular statement, hopefully confirming what she felt his feelings towards her were.

But the Doctor piped up before she had the chance to even form a coherent sentence. "No. Nope. Nothing!" He sounded nearly as flustered as she felt. Ludin just laughed like he didn't believe him, but seemed to let the matter drop. Rose reached for the Doctor's hand and he gripped hers tightly, his thumb brushing over her own, once, twice, three times so she knew it wasn't an accidental gesture before he shifted his grip so his fingers could slot between hers. Now she knew she couldn't have been imagining things.

They made the short return trip where they were greeted back at the settlement with a round of applause. Rose smiled politely and the Doctor waved awkwardly with his free hand.

"This is nice, isn't it? They're having a party for us instead of chasin' us outta here." She stage-whispered at him, her grin firmly in place.

"Suppose so." He shrugged non-committedly, putting on his best smile for the cheering crowd. Except one person wasn't cheering. An old woman was just glaring at them, specifically at their joined hands. The Doctor sucked in a breath as he felt something prod against his consciousness. It didn't feel like the sudden jolts against his time sense he'd been feeling off and on all day, but it was enough to make him uneasy. Without him realising it, he had stepped in front of Rose again to protect her from this potential threat. The woman began to approach them.

"Ah, sorry… this is my mother. She's a bit…" Ludin looked apologetically at them.

"You. You saved my great-granddaughter. Many thanks to you." She rasped out interrupting Ludin as she pointed at the pair with a long bony finger and Rose hoped she wasn't about to have a spell cast on her. It was silly, but he woman reminded her of a witch with her wild, long, white hair and sharp features. The woman pointed directly at the Doctor. The crowd grew silent as she began to speak. "You are ancient, far older than even me. Your face belies your true age, and one of many faces. How curious. You are one of a kind, I think. Your people are gone. You travel restlessly, never wanting to stay in one place for very long. You're running so far away. But perhaps you have met someone for whom you are willing to stop running away, but rather one you want to run with for as long as she's able." She turned to Rose and she had to will herself to not take a step back. How did she know all this? Rayta said women of her species were empathic, but this was different. She wasn't just reading emotions, was reading the Doctor like a book! And if she could figure out all this about him – including some things that Rose had been wondering about – what would she know about her? She didn't have to wait long to find out as the old woman continued.

"You are so young, just on the cusp of adulthood, but wise far beyond your years. And an ancient song sings within you. The howl of a wolf. You once thought your life was meaningless, thought you were destined only to serve others. That is not the case. You have met one who has shown you just how important you are to the universe. One for whom you're willing to give up your entire way of life to be with, regardless of the dangers you face with him." The woman's gaze dropped to their joined hands. "You two have found each other, both in a broken state at first, but you have healed one another. It is an undeniable fact that you two are meant for each other. Your love runs deep even if neither one of you are capable of admitting it using words. But your actions speak louder. And you both know it." She reached out and took their clasped hands together in her own. "That is why I hereby join you together." The old woman looked up at them and smiled as the crowd started cheering once more. "May you both have a long happy future." She let go of them, turned and walked away leaving a thoroughly stunned Doctor and Rose just standing there.

"Doctor?"

"Yes Rose?"

"D-did we just get… y'know…"

"Married?"

"Yeah. Th-that's the word. Did that just happen?"

"Erm… we… uh… weeeell… yeah. It did. Least, according to their customs, I suppose."

"So we're… married?"

"Uh-huh."

"Okay…"

* * *

The celebration continued on after that. Yarli presented them with flower crowns that she had crafted herself (and Rose was surprised the Doctor was wearing his proudly), and they were ushered into seats that were set up higher than all the rest. What had started as a simple thank-you party for their rescuing Yarli from the river had now morphed into a wedding feast! They were both given huge plates of food and goblets of sweet red wine and encouraged to eat up. Music began to fill the air as some of the settlers either dug into their own meals or started to dance around the fire.

Rose just picked at her plate distractedly. She was quite unnerved as to how Ludin's mother was able to read them both so well, even more than the fact that she was now married to the Doctor – but it could've been because her mind couldn't properly grasp the concept just yet. This was just a massive step she wasn't certain they would ever make and now the decision was just made for them! Although, if she were to believe what the old woman had said, they had both wanted it. She was right about everything else, after all.

"How'd she know so much about us? It almost felt like when Gwyneth read my mind back in Cardiff." Rose asked turning slightly towards the Doctor who was happily enjoying the meal they brought him.

"Well…" He started around a mouthful of food before he quickly swallowed, "Gaartian women, as you know, are empaths. But one girl out of a million are born with an extra telepathic sense. She must've been one of them, it's an extremely rare ability. Had I known she could do that I would've shielded my mind better. When we get out of her I'll teach you how to better shore up your mind as well. It's not good that people can get such an accurate read on us." Rose nodded as bit her lip and absently fiddled with her earring, a nervous habit the Doctor knew she had.

"So everything she said… everything she said was true?" The Doctor sniffed and looked back down at his plate. He didn't realise he had begun tugging on his own ear, unconsciously mirroring her nervous gesture.

Rose feared that this would be the point he would just clam up and be silent and moody for the rest of the night, or deflect by bringing up a completely benign topic that had nothing to do with anything and babbling incessantly about it. Instead, he completely surprised her by pronouncing one simple syllable.

"Yes."

Rose's mouth dropped in shock.

"Rose… I…" He was interrupted by Yarli running up to them, a grin stretching across her face.

"It's time! It's time!" She pronounced happily.

"Time for what?" Rose asked, causing Yarli to giggle.

"Time for the dance! Come on!"

Rose looked over at the Doctor who didn't look too pleased to have been interrupted, plus he had several reservations about dancing in public. She put her plate aside, and the Doctor reluctantly did the same.

"Oh don't worry, I'm sure you still have the moves." Rose shot him a cheeky grin.

"But how much _dancing_ do they expect us to do tonight?" He muttered mostly to himself. Rose pretended she didn't hear him, even as she latched onto his meaning. She hoped she was successful in willing away the flush that covered her face. Although it was _technically_ their wedding night, they had even yet to talk about it seeing how it was just sprung on them unexpectedly.

Yarli ushered them into a clear spot near the large fire pit where everyone formed a circle around them before she retreated to where her family was standing nearby. Rose looked up at the Doctor, clearly uncertain on what she should be doing. He stood in front of her and took her by the hands, shooting her a smile.

"Just follow my lead." He whispered. Rose had to supress a shiver as he ran his thumbs over her knuckles in a comforting gesture. The music started up again, something slow that reminded Rose of a waltz. But unlike that dance, he was holding her at arms length leading her through several simple steps and twirls. His eyes never left hers the entire time. Many people found his stare intimidating, and quite a few turned tail and ran from it. But Rose found herself being drawn in. His eyes were ancient, and she knew they held so many secrets. Right now, in this moment, she knew all he could see was her. It made her nervous, and excited. She couldn't help it when his name fell from her lips, and he just smiled and drew her closer to him as they moved to the music.

Maybe this impromptu wedding on this distant planet shrouded in mystery was just the push they needed towards the inevitable. She couldn't help but smile back as a laugh bubbled out of her. His smile widened and he laughed too. If asked, neither one could say why except for the fact that they were both so happy.

The music swelled as he swirled her around again, this time more like during the dances on Earth where only one person spun around. His grasp slipped from hers unexpectedly and Rose struggled to regain her footing. She gasped when she looked back up at his face. He looked pale and his eyes glassy. He seemed to miss another step and he stumbled over his own feet as if he were drunk. But she was certain he had only taken a few sips of his wine; he wasn't one to get drunk.

"Doctor?" Concern was laced in her voice as she gripped his shoulders to keep him upright. He didn't seem to hear her. His face contorted in pain for a moment before his eyes rolled back into his head and Rose only just stopped him from falling into the fire.

* * *

 **Please review and tell me what you all think so far.**


	5. Chapter 5

**That last cliff hanger was evil, even by my standards.**

* * *

Rose had seen the Doctor collapse before. This version of him seemed to be prone to being rendered unconscious. But all the other times there was a rational explanation like a regeneration gone wrong or a swift right hook to the jaw.

This time he had just collapsed for no apparent reason!

She didn't have much in terms of first aid training, but she knew how to take a pulse. Her fingers fumbled along his neck trying to find his carotid artery, not knowing if he even had one. Having two hearts could've made things very different! But after a moment of searching, she felt his unmistakable pulse under her fingertips. It felt a bit fast. Was that normal for him? She listened to his hearts through a stethoscope before, but she didn't calculate how fast they were beating.

She looked down at his chest looking for the telltale signs of breathing. There wasn't any. That started to panic her. When he was stuck in his regeneration coma, he was definitely breathing! Why wasn't he breathing now?

Ludin sank down on his haunches near the Doctor's feet. Rose shot him an accusatory glance at first, but it faded quickly when she saw he looked just as concerned for the Doctor's wellbeing as she felt. She was certain these people had nothing to do with his condition, at least not intentionally.

Without over thinking things, Rose took a deep breath, pinched the Doctors nose shut, covered his mouth with hers and breathed air into his lungs. He reacted instantly. He gasped as his eyes flew open, and Rose had to get out of his way quickly before he accidently headbutted her as he bolted upright.

"Easy! Easy." Rose soothed rubbing his back as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

"What happened?" The Doctor rasped out, still trying to catch his breath.

"You collapsed." Ludin explained, "Celebration a bit overwhelming for you?" He joked. The Doctor managed a wry smile.

"Possibly. I'm not as young as I used to be. Too much excitement, and all that." Rose snorted at that reply. If only these people knew.

"You should probably get some rest." Rayta suggested. "We've got a space prepared for tonight."

The Doctor groaned softly as Rose and Ludin helped him to his feet. As soon as he was standing he waved them off and attempted to walk on his own but Rose noticed he was still really wobbly. She came up next to him and wrapped her arm around his waist, encouraging him to lean on her. He hesitated for a moment as there was a large amount of people watching him. He already embarrassed himself enough by passing out in front of everyone. He didn't want to appear weak, he was the Oncoming Storm for goodness sake! He should be able to do something as simple as walking on his own.

Rose tightened her grip on him slightly and looked up at him with those large, compassionate eyes that always did him in. He let out an almost imperceptible sigh as he gave in and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks." The Doctor smiled down at her, truly grateful for her help.

"No probs." Rose smiled back. They took a few steps, slightly awkwardly as she was supporting a good portion of his weight. "Oof. How comes you're so heavy?"

"You callin' me _fat_?" He sounded offended, but Rose could see the playful sparkle in his eyes. "You even thought I was a Slitheen at one point! Now, tell me, how in the _world_ could someone from Raxacoricofallapatorious…?"

"No, you're like the skinniest bloke I've ever met! That's why it's so confusing."

The Doctor shook his head, annoyed she didn't let him get his whole question out, and focused on putting one foot in front of the other, following Ludin to one of the nearby dwellings.

They stepped inside, and Ludin bid them goodnight with a wink that didn't go unnoticed by either the Doctor or Rose. They both just pretended to ignore it. The space was small, but cozy with only a small sitting area and what appeared to be a loo off to the side. The rooms dominating feature had to be the large bed set against one of the walls. The Doctor released his grip on her and sat heavily down on the edge of the mattress and Rose paced the room. It was a strange role reversal as it was usually Rose who dived for the bed and the Doctor who would pace like a caged animal.

"What the hell happened out there?" Rose snapped, her fear over the situation morphing into irrational anger. He opened his mouth, his expected "Well…" dying on his lips as she continued, "And don't you _dare_ tell me it was nothin' and you're fine, cos… I _know_ you're not. I may've believed you earlier when you said you stood up too fast… but not this time."

"Blimey, Rose, do you have to sound so much like your mother?" He whinged.

"I'll smack ya too, if ya like if you don't tell me what's goin' on!"

The Doctor shuddered thinking she sounded exactly like Jackie just then and raked his hand through his hair while looking everywhere but her. Tyler women utterly terrified him sometimes!

"I didn't want to worry you." He sighed.

"Yeah, and not tellin' me is supposed to make me feel better?" She snapped again. She saw him wince under her harsh tone, and she immediately regretted it. She sat next to him and took his hand into hers. "Doctor, I can't help you if you don't tell me when things are not right with you."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly as he twined his fingers with hers.

"It could be nothing, but ever since we landed I feel like… like…" He trailed off and shook his head. "How do I explain this to a human? It's not something you can easily understand." Rose tried not to feel offended by that comment, but sometimes she forgot just how alien the Doctor was. "I wasn't just being poetic when I told you that I could feel the turn of the Earth. I can feel the turn of every planet I stand on. Well, kinda. I might've used an itty-bitty amount poetic license back then. But I can _literally_ perceive time, everything that's been and everything that hasn't happened yet and things that should never ever happen. It's just one of those things that go hand-in-hand with being a Time Lord."

"An' something's interfering with this… time sense?"

He nodded, a slight smile on his face as he was proud of how perceptive she had become while travelling with him.

"Sometimes with major unexpected shifts to time, it makes me feel a bit off kilter for a moment. Kinda like a mauve alert going off in my mind. Only enough to get my attention, mind you, and I can quickly shake it off. But ever since we landed here I've been getting these… attacks. I just thought it was due to lack of sleep." He muttered that last sentence as rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't intend to tell her he hadn't been sleeping. He knew what her next question was going to be and how disappointed she would be at his answer.

"How long?" She asked sternly.

"Not too long, I promise." He hedged. It really wasn't that long in the grand scheme of things.

"Doctor?" She pressed.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "Since Krop-Tor."

"The Sanctuary base?" Rose gasped. She wasn't really surprised. She also had a hard time sleeping herself after that particular trip.

"Yup…" He popped the 'p'.

"Doctor…" and there was that disappointed tone he knew was coming. She started counting on her fingers. "Two weeks, I think." She shook her head at him, then smirked. "Right. It's a 'human's night sleep' for you then, mister! And look!" Rose pointed to something neatly folded on top of the bed and shot him her patented grin, "They even supplied us with some jim jams. Now, I'm knackered myself, so I'm gonna get comfy in these and when I get back I expect you to have done the same." She grabbed the clothes that were obviously meant for her and went over to the loo to get changed.

"But Roooose!" He winged loudly sounding like an overgrown child.

"No buts!" She called back from behind the closed door.

He eyed the pajamas and sighed. He quickly slipped out of his already borrowed clothes and into the offered comfy lounge pants as he made a startling discovery: that was the only article of clothing given to him!

"You decent?" Rose called out as he did a frantic search for a shirt of any kind. He considered putting the shirt he was wearing back on, but it still smelled faintly of the bonfire he almost fell into.

"Erm, ah… weeeell!" He stammered incoherently. Rose opened the door a crack and peeked out. She had to bite down hard on her lip to keep from laughing when she saw the only half-dressed Time Lord standing there looking absolutely petrified.

"Doctor, don't worry. It's only me." Rose giggled as she walked into the room. She expected that comment to calm him down, but instead he looked like he was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack.

"Yeah, no need to worry. Only you." He replied flippantly crossing his arms over his bare chest and turning away. Rose couldn't help but feel slightly hurt by those words, especially after how he'd been acting towards her all day. She reached out and touched his shoulder lightly and he flinched away.

He didn't intend to flinch from her touch. She had just taken him off guard. He heard Rose sigh as she turned back towards the bed.

"I'm gonna get some sleep. You can just go and… _brood_ …" Rose grumbled climbing into the bed. The room was thrown into darkness as she shut the lamp off.

"Rose?"

"What? I'm sleepin'." Her muffled voice answered. He sighed. He hated hearing her sound so hurt. He took another couple deep breaths and made his way over to the bed, noting how Rose was lying on her side with her back to him. He carefully slipped under the covers behind her.

"I'm sorry. I'm just not used to being this, erm… exposed." He said softly after he settled, covering himself as much as he could with the sheet. Rose let out an outraged squeak.

"I _may_ forgive you if…" she began tugging some of the covers back over her way.

"If what?" He asked, completely clueless. She huffed and turned over to face him.

"If you stop hoggin' all the blankets!" She couldn't help but giggle at the cocoon the Doctor was attempting to construct around him. He held onto the blankets tightly for a moment, but released his grip enough to allow Rose to have most of her covers back. She shook her head fondly at him, her earlier irritation at him melting away.

"Bit weird, huh? Us sharin' like this." She giggled.

"Not the first time we've had to share a sleeping space."

"I know but… those times we weren't, y'know, married." She was glad it was dark, as she was certain her face was crimson.

"If… if you're not comfortable with this I… I can…" The Doctor moved to get out of the bed, but Rose snatched his wrist and held him fast.

"No, it's fine. I don't mind."

"You don't?" His voice jumped a few octaves higher than normal. She shook her head as she let go of his wrist. He didn't take his hand back like she expected, however. He took her hand in his as he settled back down.

"Nighty night, Rose."

"G'night, Doctor."

There was silence for a few minutes, and the Doctor was certain Rose had fallen asleep. Exhaustion began to really tug at him, and he hoped his sleep would be dreamless. He didn't want to further worry her by having a nightmare. He scooted a little closer to Rose as he let go of her hand and carefully traced the outline of her face with his fingertips.

"You saved me again today," He whispered kissing her forehead gently. "My precious girl."

He finally closed his eyes and allowed sleep to claim him.

* * *

 **Yeah, it's fluffy… for now. *maniacal laugh* It's not gonna stay that way for much longer.**


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